Art of ornamented knitted wearing apparel manufacture



Oct. 21, 1941. U r MARR 2,260,118

ART OF ORNAMENTED KNITTED WEARING APPAREL MANUFACTURE Filed Dec. 15,19392 Sheets-Sheet 1 lll/lill,

ATTORNEY.

Oct. 2l, 1941. u. T. MARR 2,260,118

Amm" ORNAMENTED KNITTED wEARING APPAREL MANUFACTURE 4 Filednec. 15, 19592 sheets-sheet 2 ENTOR Patented Oct. 21, 1941 ARTDF ORNAMENTED KNITT'EDWABING APPAREL MANUFACTURE Urban T. Marr, Appleton, Wis., assignor toZwicker Knitting Mills, Appleton, Wis., a corporation of WisconsinApplication December 1939, seria1N0.3o9,a41

(ci. (s6- 201) 5 Claims.

slow and tedious hand operations in the nature of crocheting.

Aside from the arrangement of producing the ornamented areas by handwork a rather unsatisfactory method was in some instances used whereinthe decorated areas were accomplished by machine operations. However, inthis particular' method knitting floats on the inside of the blanksalways resulted. If these knitting floats are long they are obviouslyobjectionable as fingers may easily catch therein. If the knittingfloats are of lesser length an undesirable restriction in the size andextent of the pattern or decorated area unavoidably results.

With these objections and difficulties in mind, the present inventionprovides for the production of knitted articles having designs orornamentations incorporated therein entirely by machine knittihg and ina manner so that the knitting floats are interlocked with or laid undercertain of the strands of the body fabric with the elimination of longknitting floats and with the lfurther advantagethatthere are norestrictions on the size, shape, or character of the incorporated designordecorated areas.

While the above object is generally accomplished in the knitted fabricand by the method disclosed in my copending application Serial No.

236,689, filed October 24, 1938, the invention disclosed in saidlco-pending application has certain limitations which are overcome bythe present invention. For instance, one form of the present inventionis applicable to jacquard knitting t which will produce .rib stitcheffects which are especially suited for wrist portions of articles ofwearing apparel. Another embodiment of the present invention isapplicable ,to those forms of knitting commonly employed in bodyportions of wearing apparel and contemplates the formation of certaindesign arrangements by the employment of two strands of diiferent colorsin the body portion which contrasting color strands also cooperate witht'he third strand in producing special design or pattern areas.

A further object o'f the present invention is to provide an ornamentedknitted article and method of producing the same wherein the design iscompletely fashioned into and interand type and of any selected lcolorcombination,

can be knitted into the article.

-A further object of the invention is to provide an ornamented knittedarticle and method of producingthe same wherein one of two body strandsis knitted in pre-determinedwales,with the other of the body strandsbeing also knitted in pre-determined wales and floated across otherwales, anl additional design area being accom# plished by floating bothof the body strands and utilizing a third strand knit therein in one ormore wales and courses, with the third strand overlying the oats of thebody strands throughout the design area andbeing held by the floats ofthe-body strands adjacent the margins of the additional design area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a knitted article withmachine fashioned design the purposes disclosed.

With the above and other objects in view, the

' invention consists of the improved knitted article Fig. 2 is afragmentary view of the `vfabric of the knitted article showing themachine-knit design therein; E.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of an article forming tubular blank ofknitted fabricI showing the condition of the same as it is taken fromthe machinewithparticular reference to the-unfastened -portion ofthefdesign threads or` strands before severance, the tubular blank beingshown reversed as to its normal condition for use and as to thecondition in which it leaves the machine; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary viewof the blank turned through half a circle and showing the unfastenedportions of the severed strand for the` design, said view also showingthe knitting floats which aid in the production of the design;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic enlarged vieW of that portion of a knittedarticle fabric Which includes a modified form of design and knittingarrangement, said view being` of the reverse side of the fabric andshowing the body and design strands in knitted relationship;

Fig. 6 isa fragmentary view of the fabric of Fig. 5 showing the designincorporated therein;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary View of an article forming tubular blank ofknitted fabric fashioned according to the stitching arrangementdisclosed lin Fig. 5, the blank portion being reversed as to its normalcondition for use and as to the condition in which it leaves themachine, the unfastened portions of the design strand being unsevered;and

Fig. 8 isa fragmentary view of the same tubular blank turned throughhalf a circle and showing severance of the unfastened portions of thehead, cylinder knitting machine having a plu-v rality of yarn or threadfeeds. ,The articles formed from the fabric may be fashionedinto gloves,mittens, scarves or similar articles of`- Wearing apparel. y

The method of knitting the article fabric with the design or patterntherein and With the combination coloring effect obtained in the mainform of the invention is subject to ordinaryl variations of machineoperation, depending upon the character of the stitch, type of yarnutilized,

vand the size and character of the appliedpattern or design, butessentially the method employed in the several forms of the invention isas follows: During the course of the operation of the machine forknitting the cylindrical blank,

ished article the fabric Will therefore be comat least two of themachine yarn feeds are employed for feeding to the blank forming needlesv the yarn for the body fabric. It is also within the contemplation ofthe invention, and/especially desirable in the lform disclosed in Figs.1 to 4 inclusive, that the strands fed for forming the body fabric be ofcontrasting colors, and in some instances they may be of differentweights. At a proper time during the knitting of the body fabric astrand of yarn from an additional feed is led into the machine and isoperated on Iby proper 4needles in the machine to knit into the fabric,in cooperation with the body forming strands, the stitches for thespecial design or pattern Whichmay be in any suitable conflguration, ofany desired width and size, and in any selected color or colors.

In Fig. l there is depicted semi-diagrammati- V cally and in 'enlargedor magnified form a fragunique design in Which one or both of the bodystrand in producing the special ornamental ardesignations are followedby the numeral 2, While the yarn strands for the partial design and bodyfabric, which may be of different contrasting colors and which extendfrom other feeds (not show n) are indicated in the various courses bythe reference letter designations vfollowed by the numerals I and 3respectively, it being appreciated that the fabric is in a cylindermachine and the strand courses referred 4to are in circular formation.

In the knitting machine utilized, certain selected design formingneedles are thrown into andout of operation and these needles, in theexempliflcation of Figs. 1 to4 inclusive, operate on the strands in themanner to be described hereinafter.

The body portion ofthe fabric or blank, in the form shown in Figs. 1 to4 inclusive is jacquard knitting and the two body strands may, forexample, be blue and red respectively. In Fig. 1 the courses in whichthe letter designations are followed by the numeral I are blue and thecourses in which the letter designations are followed by the numeral 3are red. In the findepicted in Fig.;1, the red and blue body strands maycooperate with the design forming, strand .to produce the specialpattern. Referring 'particularly to Fig. 1 the courses areindicated fromM to V. inclusive, whereas the Walesare indicated vfrom A to Linclusive. In

the M and N courses a jacquard stitch is formed wherein the No. I yarnknits in alternate wales and floats across the intervening Wales.. andthe No. 2 yarn knits in intervening wales and floats across thealternate wales. Coming to the O course, strand O--I is floated acrossWale A, knit in Wale B, floatedacro'ss Wale C, knit in Wale D and thenfloated across Wales E, F, G, H, I, J and K. It then knits in Wale L.The other body strand, 0 3, knits in Wale A, floats across wale B, knitsin Wale C, floats across- Wale D, knits in Wales E, F and G, floatsacross Wales H, I and J, knits in Wale K and floats across Wale L. Inthis course the design forming strand No. 2 is in tro'4 by CL3 in WaleD, floats over Wales E, F and G,

knits in wales H, I and J, and then iloats'over wales K and L.

In course P strand P-I floats over Wale A, knits in Wale B, floats overWale C, knits in Wale D, floats over wales E', F, G, H and I, knits inWale J, floats over Wale K and knits inl WaleL.4` The strand- P3 knitsin Wale A, floats over Wale 1 B, knits inV Wale C, floats over Wale D,knits vin wales E, F, and G, floats over wales H, I and J, knits in WaleK and floats over Wale L. Design strand P-Z floats over 'Wale A, passesunder the floaty made by P-3 in Wale B, floats over wale'C,

passes back under the float made by strand P--3 in Wale D, floats overwales E, F, and G, knits in Wales H and I, and floats over Wales J, Kand L.Y In the Q course strand Q-I floats over Wale A, knits in Wale B,floats over Wale C, knits in Wale D, floats over Wales E, F, G, H and I,knits in Wale J, floats over Wale K and knits in wale L.

Strand Q.3 knits in Wale A, floats over Wale B, knits in Wale C, floatsover Wale D, knits in Wales E, F and G, floats over Wale H., knits inWale I, floats over Wale J, knits in Wale K, and

floats over Wale L. Design strand Q-2 floats.

over Wale A, passes under the float may be Q-3 in Wale B, floatsover'wale C, passes back under the float made by Q--3 in'A Wale D,iloatslover Wales E, F and G, knits in Wale H, and floats over Wales I,J, K, and L. y In the R course body strand R--I floats over Wale A,knits in Wale B, floats over Wale C, knits in Wale D, floats over WaleE, knits in Wale F, floats over Wales G, H, I, J and K, and knits inWale L. The other body strand, R3, knits in Wale A, floats over Wale B,knits in Wale C, floats over Wale D, knits in Wale E, floats over WaleF, knits in Wale G, floats over Wales H and I, knits in Wales J and K,and floats over Wale L. Design strand R-2 floats over Wale A, passesunder the float made by R--3 in course B, floats over Wale C, passesback under the float made by Rf-3 in course D, floats over Wales E, Fand G, knits in Wale Hand I, and floats over wales J,

In the S course strand S-l floats over Wale'A, knits in Wale B, floatsover Wale C, knits in Wale D, floats over Wale E, knits in Wales F andG, floats over Wales H, I, J and K and knits in Wale L. Body strand S-knits inWale A', floats over Wale B, knits in Wale C, floats over WaleD, knits in.wale E, floats over wales F, G, H, I and J, knits in Wale Kand floats over Wale L. Design strand S-2 oats over Wale A, passes underthe float made by S-S at Wale B, floats over Wale C, passes back underthe float made by S-3 at Wale D, floats over Wales E, F and G, knitsinWales H, I and J, and floats over Wales K and L.

In courses Tto V inclusive the No. l strand knits in alternate Wales andfloats across the intervening Wales. The No. 3. strand knits inintervening Wales and floats across the alternatel Wales. This part ofthe fabric is beyond the special inlaid design so that the designforming strand No. 3 is not here utilized and the body fabric iscontinued for the desired distance in the same manner. l

It Will be observed that the design forming strand, No. 2,'is secured inthe body fabric on both sides of the special inlaid design. As the blankforms and progresses the design forming strand encircles the blank fromthe last point of fastening in one course'to the first point offastening or securementin the next course. Consequently the pattern isformed on a full float stitch. In order that the securement ofrthepattern strand No. 2 may be understood, thefollowing explanationapplies: The special inlaid pattern is started by the No. 2 strand Whichextends from the proper feed, knitting into and on the fabric Withreference to the courses. The design strand is at the proper times heldand engaged by The number of such needles is determined by the size ofthe pattern, With as many needles being used on each side of the patternas may be desired, these being spaced olf on the desired courses. The.operation of said needles is automatically controlled.

Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary view of a piece of tubular fabric knitaccording to the method just disclosed wherein an inlaid designformation, indicated at 5 in Figs. 2 and `4, is

K and L.V

so that all Will knit ment of fabric is inside-out relative to its condition upon removal from the machine and relative to the position in Whichit is normally used in wearing apparel. Upon removal of the blank in thecondition shown in Fig. 3, the floats l are connected and extend overaportion of the inverted exposed face of the fabric, as shown. To preparethe fabric for use said floats should be severed and trimmed, and thisis accomplished as 'shown in Fig. 4 wherein the float strands 4 arefirst `severed centrally and are then additionally trimmed relativelyclose to their points' of securement in the fabric. Fig. 4 shows theblank turned through half a circle relative to the showing in Fig. 3.

A fragmentof the finished fabric, reversed as to Figs. 3 and 4, is shownin Fig. 2 wherein the knitted body fabric 6 has incorporated therein aninlaid design area 5 accomplished in the manner previously described. ItWill be observed that the special design strands 2 are knit over lthefloats ofthe body fabric forming strands, and the ends of the designstrands are laid under certain floats of the bodyfabric. This absolutelyinsures against unraveling or dropped stitches'.

Even after the floats 4 of theinlaid design are severed and trimmed, the'design area is nevertheless tightly secured in the vfabric and thestrands of the same Will not pull out. While one type of design has beenillustrated and described, it is obvious that the design can be of anytype or'pattern and of any incorporated Wherever and the body fabric mayrality of independent designs of various characters. It is also to benoted that the contrasting strands i and 3 of the body form a unique anddecorative fabric and said body strands also cooperate with the designstrand in the formation of a unique and contrasting special inlaiddesign.

The fabric thus knit may be used for certain forms of knitted Wearingapparel and is particularly Well suited for gloves and mittens. Thestrands may be of any 'suitable type of yarn, thread, string or-v thelike, and the design may be applied by The'entire article is completelyknit and finished on the machine and can be produced efficiently andeconomically and the design areas therein can be formed withoutlimitations and Will simulate the more expensive forms of knittedfabrics desired in the body fabric,

' Which are` subsequently ornamented by hand a mock ribbed formation andis especially suited certain of the needles of the knitting machine.

formed by the particular stitch arrangement of for those portions ofgarments which preferably have elasticity, such as the Wrist portions ofmittens and gloves. As an example the fabric disclosed in Figs. l to 4inclusive is especially su'ited for the body portion of a mitten,Whereas the'fabric disclosed in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive is particularlysuited for the Wrist and tip'portions of a mitten and deviates fromstandard practice in the incorporation ofv a special inlaid design areaVin the knitted mock ribbed fabric. The

fabric per se is generally of the type illustrated 1 in U. S.`Patent No.2,090,982. While particular mention has been made ofthe rib stitcheffect in the fabric it 4should be stated thatvthe inlaid designarrangement of the alternative form of the invention. may be associatedwith the conventional jacquard knitting.

size or Width and can be be formed with a pluany of the .same type ofmaterials. y

. the No. 3 strands light. 'I'he strand for the special inlaid design isrepresented by the letter designations followed by the numeral 2 and asan example said strand may be of a yellow color so as to contrast Withthe body fabric.

With particular reference to the showing in y Fig. 5 the courses areindicated vfrom i to o inclusive, Whereas the Wales are indicated from ato h inclusive. In the 7' course body strand j- I knits in Wales a, band c, floats over Wale d, and knits in Wales e, f, g and h. Body strand1'-3 knits in Wale a, floats over Wale b, knits in Wale c,

floats over Wale d, knits in Wale e, floats over Walel f, knits in Waleg, and floats over Wale h. 'I'he de-` sign strand, 7`-2, hereintroduced, floats over Wale a, passes under the float made by :-3 atWale b, floats over Wale c, knits in Wale d, floats over Wale e, passesunder the float made by 7`3 at Wale ffloats over Wale g, and passes backunder the float made by j-3 at Wale h.

In the k course. strand Ic--I knits in Wale a and .b, floats over Walesc, d and e, and knits in Wales y vand h. Strand k-3 knits in Wale a,floats over Wales b, c, d, e and knits in Wale g, and floats over Waleh. Designstrand k-2 floats over Wale a, passes under the float made bylc-3 at Wale b, knits in Wales c, d and e, passesunder the float made byk-'IS at Wale f, floats over Wale g, and passes back under the floatmade-'by liz-3 at Wale h.

Coming to the l course it appears that body strand l-I knits in Wales aand b, floats over wales'c. d and e. and knits in Wales f, y and h.Strand l-3 knits in Wale a, floats over Wales b, c, d, e and f, knits inwale g, and floats over Wale h. Design strand l-2 floats over Wale a,passes under the float made by l-3 at Wale b, knits in Wales c, d and e,passes under the float made by L-3 at Wale f, floats over Wale g, andpasses back under the float made by l-3 at Wale h.

In them course body strand m-I knits in Wales a, b, and c, floats overW'ale d, and knits in wales e, f, g and h. Body strand m-3 knits in Walea, floats over Wale b, knits in Wale c, floats vover Wale d, knits inWale e, floats over Wale f, knits in 4Wale y, and floats over Wale h.Design strand m-2 floats over Wale a, passes under the floats made bym-3 at Wale b, floats over Wale c,

knits in 'Wale d, floats over Wale e, passes underv ithe float made bym-3 at Wale f, floats over Wale g, and passes back under the float madeby m-3 at h.

be seen that body strand n--I knits in all of the Wales Whereas bodystrand 11-3 knits in Wale a, floats over Wale b, knits in Wale c, floatsover Wale d, knits in Wale e, floats over Wale f, knits! in Wale g,andfloats over Wale h..

'Ilhe o course is not shown in completed form (but the fabric thereafterWould be continued in the mannei-- described in connection with thencourse. v s

Fig. '7 represents-a fragmentary view of a piece of tubular fabric knitaccording to the method the machine and relative to the position inWhich The design strand is'notcontinued below nie fn course in theexemplification of Fig. 5 and it Will it is normally used in a garment.Upon removal of the blank in the condition shown in Fig. 7 the floats 4'are connected and extend over a portion of' the inverted exposed face ofthe fabric as shown. To prepare the fabric for use said floats are ofcourse severed and trimmed, and this is done in the manner shown in Fig.8 wherein the float strands 4' are flrst severed centrally and are thenadditionally trimmed relatively close to their points of securement inthe fabric. Fig. 8 shows the blank turned through a half circle relativeto the showing in Fig. 7.

A fragment of the finished fabric of the modifled form, reversed as toFigs. 7 and 8, is shown in Fig. 6, wherein the knitted body fabric 6'has Wales through Which both of the strands are floated. The designforming strand is knit in the selected wales through which both bodystrands are floated and the knitted fabric with the design area thereinis further characterized by the fact that the design forming strand isheld tightly Within the fabric by the floats of one of the body strandsat the margins of the design in all of the courses in Which the designstrand is knit. In the fabrics of both forms of the invention the designforming strand is absolutely secured under the floats of one or moreofthe body strands adjacentthe margins of the design area and -this isof the utmost importance in obtaining a machine knit design which Willnot pull out of the fabric.

It will be understood that numerous changes may be made in the detallsof operation and construction Without departing from the spirit of theinvention, as contemplated by the following claims. y

I claim:

l. A machine knitted article, comprising two body strands knit incourses with sections of certain courses of different formation,sections of certain courses having one of the body strands knitted inalternate wales and floated across in' tervening wales and having theother Aof said both of said body strands over certain wales and 'ingknitted in the Wales and stitches in Which bothof-the body strands arefloated and being held laterally of said sections by the floats of onevof the body strands only in` the courses in which said third strand isknitted.

2.. A machine knitted article, comprising two contrasting body strandsknit in courses With sections of certain courses vof differentformation, the first sections of said courses having one of the bodystrands knitted in alternate Wales and floated across intervening walesand having the other of said body strands floated across the alternatewales and knitted in the intervening Wales, `the next sections of saidcoursehaving one of the body strands knitted in a plurality ofcontiguous wales and thereafter floated over a plurality of contiguousWales with the other of' said said additional strand being held by thefloats body strands being floated across the contiguous wales in whichthe first body strand is knitted to produce part of a predetermineddesign area, the last sections of the courses completing the design areaand being formed by floating bo-th of said body strands over certainwales and introducing a third strand contrasting with both of the bodystrands, said third strand. being knitted in the wales and stitchesinwhich both of the body strands are floated and being held by floats ofsaid body strands laterally of the margins of` said design area only inthe courses in which said third strand is knitted.

3. A machine knitted article comprising two body strands, each strand ofa different color, one of which is knitted in alternate wales andfloated across intervening wales, and the other of which is floatedacross the' alternate wales and knitted in the intervening wales in partof each course in which they are said courses being constructed byknitting one of said body strands in a plurality of contiguous wales',with` the, same thereafter floated over a plurality of lcontiguouswales, the other of said body strandsbeing floated across the contiguouswales in `which the rst body strand is knitted, thus forming part of thedesign area, the third and last partof each course being formed byfloating both' body strands and an additionalA strand of a differentcolor knit in each .wale and course in which both of the first-mentionedbody strands are floated completing the designarea,

knit,the second part of made by one of the body strands in each coursein which it is knit ladjacent lthe last-mentioned design area. y

4. A knitted article, comprising two dissimilar body strands, one ofwhich is knitted in alternate wales and iioated across 'interveningwales, and the other of which is knitted in certain wales, both of saidbody strands being floated across predetermined wales, and` a thirdcontrasting strand associated with portions o f the body strands to forma design area, said third strand being knitted in the Awales in .whichboth of the body strands are floated and being held laterally Y floatedacross intervening of the design area by the floats body strands.

5. A knitted article, comprising two body strands differing from oneanother in thickness, one of which is knitted in alternate wales andwales, and the other of which is knittedin certain wales, both of saidbody strands being floated across predetermined wales. said body strandsprnviding in their knitted relationship a fabric of mock ribbedformation,

of one of said and a third contrasting strand associated with portionsof the`body strands'to form a design area, said third strand beingknitted in the wales in which both of the body strands are floated andbeing held laterally of the design area by 'che floats of one of saidbody strands.

`URsAN T. MARR.

